Kenneth Brandon
- The Geminid meteor shower will reach its peak on the night of December 13-14, according to NASA.
- This year's display will be especially brilliant because the moon will only be 1% illuminated.
- You may be able to see up to one meteor every minute at its peak, a NASA expert told us.
The last spectacular meteor shower of the year is peaking this week. It'll be a particularly exceptional one that you won't want to miss. Here's how and when to see the Geminid meteor shower.
Each mid-December, the Geminids light up the night skies and are considered one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers by NASA.
While most meteor showers come from comet debris, the Geminids come from a large near-Earth asteroid-like object called 3200 Phaethon that astronomers estimate is about 3.6 miles wide.
When to see the Geminid meteor shower
Arecibo Observatory/NASA/NSF
This year, the Geminids will peak on the night of December 13 and into the early morning hours of December 14, Bill Cooke, lead of NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office, told Business Insider.
Star gazers in the Northern Hemisphere should be able to spot the spectacular display as early as 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. local time, according to NASA.
But it's not just northerners who get to view the showers — they'll be visible in the night sky worldwide, per NASA.
And the showers this year will be particularly brilliant — and much better than last year — because the moon will only be 1% illuminated on the night of Dec. 13, Cooke told BI.
Without moonlight interfering, Cooke said, you should see a Geminid about one to every two minutes on the peak side.
"So it's gonna be a very good year for the Geminids," Cooke told BI. "This is the year of the Geminids."
Where to see the Geminid meteor shower
For the best view of the showers, you'll need to go outside somewhere away from city lights and street lights, according to NASA. The darker the sky, the better.
"Lie flat on your back with your feet facing south and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible," NASA suggests. "After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors."
You'll probably want to bring a few blankets and dress warmly, depending on where you live. Cooke suggests bringing some hot chocolate along to make the experience extra special.